In 2015 the value of the Gambia’s total exports dropped from D4.3 billion in 2014 to D3.8 billion in 2015 representing a decrease of 11.4%. This was due to a fall in the value of re-export to the ECOWAS region. This article reviews the Gambia major export products and countries in 2014 and 2015.
For the period under review, the EU and the Asia continued to be the main export Market for Gambian domestic products. The share of exports to EU increased significantly compare to 2014 from 3% to 12%. This increment resulted from the strong exports of Groundnut and Fish and Fishery products to the EU Markets. The share of exports to Asia has also increased from 5% in 2014 to 7% in 2015. However, the share of exports to the ECOWAS region was dropped from 91% in 2014 to 81% in 2015 mainly due drop in re-export trade to the ECOWAS region.
The main domestic exports in 2015 are groundnut products, Cashew, fish and fishery products, fruits and vegetables, iron and steel.
Main domestic exported products (2015)
The main domestically exported products from the Gambia in 2015 were groundnut 32.7%, followed by cashew nuts 20.6%, and then fish and fisheries products (13.6%). These three products accounted for 70% of the total value of Gambia’s domestic exports.
The main domestic export products in 2015
Products FOB Value (D'000) As % of Domestic exports
Groundnut and related products( nuts and cake) 218,410 32.7
Cashew nuts 137,481 20.6
Fish and fishery products 90,664 13.6
Animal or vegetable fats and oils 52,183 7.8
Preparations of vegetables, fruit and nuts 22,219 3.3
Beverages, spirits and vinegar 7,963 1.2
Printed books and newspapers 1,734 0.3
Preparations of meat, of fish 1,449 0.2
Iron and steel 865 0.1
Gambia Export to the ECOWAS Region
The ECOWAS region remained the main market for the Gambia’s exports in 2015, although these were predominantly re-exports. The value of exports to the region decreased from D3.9 billion in 2014 to D3.1 billion constituting a fall of 21%. The main domestic exported products to ECOWAS region was fish and fishery products while the main re-exports product was textiles which constituted 86% of total re-exports to ECOWAS. Other re-export products included wood and articles of wood and dairy products.The main destinations for Gambia’s exports to the ECOWAS region were Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Guinea and Guinea Bissau.
Direction of exports to ECOWAS by country in 2015
Country FOB Value (D'000) As % of exports
Mali 1,839,393 59.3
Guinea 703,224 22.7
Senegal 503,525 16.2
Guinea-Bissau 52,898 1.7
Togo 1,937 0.06
Nigeria 970 0.03
Benin 568 0.02
Others 312 0.01
Total ECOWAS 3,102,828 100
Main re-exported products to the ECOWAS region in 2015
Products FOB Value "D'000) As % of exports
Textiles 2,662,377 85.8
Wood and Articles of Wood 93,057 3
Dairy Products 91,027 2.9
Preparations of Cereals 29,892 1
Other made up Textile Articles 28,404 0.9
Miscellaneous Edible Preparations 27,610 0.9
Preparations of Vegetables, Fruits and Nuts 23,296 0.8
Coffee, Tea, Mat and Spices 16,371 0.5
Petroleum Products 15,209 0.5
Edible Oil 12,982 0.4
Vehicles and Spare Parts 10,518 0.3
Electrical Machinery and Equipment and Parts 8,123 0.3
Preparations of Meat, of Fish 6,965 0.2
Iron and Steel 5,732 0.2
Plastics and Articles thereof 5,584 0.2
Preparation of Cereals 4,663 0.2
Machinery and Mechanical Appliances 4,146 0.1
Sugar and Sugar Confectionery 3,146 0.1
Gambia Export to the Asia Region
The total value of exports to Asia increased from D205.5 million in 2014 to D253.4 million in 2015 up by 23.3%. This is mainly due to the strong exports of groundnuts and cashew to the Asian region. In addition, the share of exports to Asia as a percentage of total exports increased from 5% in 2014 to 7% in 2015. The main exported products to this market are groundnuts, cashew nuts, fishery products and wood and article of woods. Groundnut exports constituted the highest value at D121 million representing 48% of all the products exported to Asia.
The main export markets in Asia were Vietnam, Singapore, China and India representing 48%, 16.7%, 16.6%, and 15.9% respectively.
Direction of exports to Asia by country in 2015
Country FOB Value (D'000) As % of exports
Viet Nam 121,609 48
Singapore 42,388 16.7
China 42,014 16.6
India 40,417 15.9
Thailand 2,653 1
Israel 1,248 0.5
United Arab Emirates 554 0.2
Others 1,619 0.6
Total Asia 253,402 100
Main exported products to Asia in 2015
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The Gambia Export to EU Region
The EU remain one of the main destination for the Gambia’s domestic exports which significantly increased from D143.8 million in 2014 to D446.4 million in 2015, up by 210%.This increment is also attributed to the increase in the export of groundnuts to the EU Markets.The share of exports to the EU increased from 3% in 2014 to 12% in 2015. The main exported products to the EU during this period are groundnuts, fish and fisheries products, cashew nuts and groundnut oil. These four products represented 60.3% of all the Gambian products exported to the EU market.
France, Germany, Denmark, United Kingdom and Netherlands were the main export markets in the EU, accounting for 50.4%, 15.4%, 9.7%, 8.0% and 5.7% respectively. These five countries represented 89.2% of the total export to the EU 2015.
Direction of exports to the EU by country in 2015
Country FOB Value (D'000) As % of exports
France 225,198 50.4
Germany 68,815 15.4
Denmark 43,169 9.7
United Kingdom 35,581 8
Netherlands 25,593 5.7
Sweden 24,164 5.4
Italy 11,093 2.5
Belgium 5,948 1.3
Spain 3,599 0.8
Others 3,242 0.7
Total EU 446,402 100
Main exported products to the EU in 2015
Products FOB Value (D'000) As % of exports to EU
Groundnut 107,727 24.1
Fish and Fishery products 55,780 12.5
Cashew nuts 53,647 12
Edible oil 52,183 11.7
Preparations of vegetables 8,252 1.85
Printed books and newspapers 1,734 0.39
Wood and articles of wood 193 0.04
Other made up textile articles 133 0.03
The Gambia Export to Americas
The total value of exports to the Americas increased in 2015 compare to 2014 from D2.2 billion to 2.5 billion up by 14.5%. This is due to the strong exports of cashew nuts and processed groundnut (groundnut cake) to the Americas. The main export market was United States (96.6%).
Main exported products to Americas in 2015
Products FOB Value (D'000) As % of exports
Cashew nuts 9,837 47.4
Prepared Groundnuts (Cake) 8,043 38.8
Fish and Fishery Products 924 4.5
Textiles 48 0.2
The information credit source: MOTIE Trade Information Centre
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